Look out for Mars on 27 August!
Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 9:53 am
A friend of mine has just sent me these details:
Guys,
If Mars gets as big as the Moon, it'll be a real, once in a liftime treat!
->
>
> The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is
> catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest
> approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may
> come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and
> perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this
> close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years
> before it happens again.
>
> The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589
> miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night
> sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide.
> At a modest 75-power magnification
>
> Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to
> spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and
> reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
>
> By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at
> nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
> convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history.
> So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively
> brighter and brighter throughout the month.
>
>
>
> Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER
> SEE THIS AGAIN
>
>
Guys,
If Mars gets as big as the Moon, it'll be a real, once in a liftime treat!
->
>
> The Red Planet is about to be spectacular! This month and next, Earth is
> catching up with Mars in an encounter that will culminate in the closest
> approach between the two planets in recorded history. The next time Mars may
> come this close is in 2287. Due to the way Jupiter's gravity tugs on Mars and
> perturbs its orbit, astronomers can only be certain that Mars has not come this
> close to Earth in the Last 5,000 years, but it may be as long as 60,000 years
> before it happens again.
>
> The encounter will culminate on August 27th when Mars comes to within 34,649,589
> miles of Earth and will be (next to the moon) the brightest object in the night
> sky. It will attain a magnitude of -2.9 and will appear 25.11 arc seconds wide.
> At a modest 75-power magnification
>
> Mars will look as large as the full moon to the naked eye. Mars will be easy to
> spot. At the beginning of August it will rise in the east at 10p.m. and
> reach its azimuth at about 3 a.m.
>
> By the end of August when the two planets are closest, Mars will rise at
> nightfall and reach its highest point in the sky at 12:30a.m. That's pretty
> convenient to see something that no human being has seen in recorded history.
> So, mark your calendar at the beginning of August to see Mars grow progressively
> brighter and brighter throughout the month.
>
>
>
> Share this with your children and grandchildren. NO ONE ALIVE TODAY WILL EVER
> SEE THIS AGAIN
>
>
